"He’s not strong, but he’s standing." - The Story of Rise Warriors & Metamorphosis of Dick Chua

TOYSREVIL: What is the story of Rise Warriors and your toy universe? Who are the “Rise Warriors”?

THE STORY OF RISE WARRIORS
The seed of Rise Warriors was planted during the lowest point of founder Dick Chua’s career as an advertisement film director. It was a difficult period in his life, as he struggled to survive professionally while searching for a new direction. To find peace and clarity, Dick turned to Chinese calligraphy as a form of meditation and leisure. As he began sharing his calligraphy works online, friends and followers started expressing interest in purchasing them.

One of his calligraphy pieces, bearing the words “再起” (Rise Again), was purchased by a close friend, Gerrick Tan, who had once experienced one of the lowest points in his life but managed to rise again. He deeply resonated with the meaning behind the artwork.

The piece was inspired by the resilience of the caudex plants that Dick nurtured in his garden. During periods of dormancy, these plants shed their leaves to conserve energy, patiently waiting for favorable conditions before sprouting new growth. Their strength, resilience, and instinct to survive inspired Dick to write the words “再起”.



This experience led Dick to a new thought: if words could carry strength and inspiration, what if those words could be transformed into something tangible that embodied the same spirit?

One day, while sculpting with clay alongside his children, Dick looked at the caudex plants in his garden and was inspired to create a character based on them. Those plants would eventually become the foundation of what is now known as Rise Warriors.



The first Rise Warrior was born without a name and without color. During the sculpting process, Dick struggled to make the little figure stand firmly on its own. As he shaped it, a thought kept repeating in his mind: “Can you just hang on a little longer?”

Somehow, that message seemed to transfer into the little figure. In the end, it stood. And so did the meaning behind it.

"He’s not strong, but he’s standing."

Perhaps it was also a reminder to himself. That moment marked the very first step of Rise Warriors into the world of designer toys, and the beginning of the Rise Warriors brand.

THE RISE WARRIORS TOY UNIVERSE
Deep beneath the earth, within an endless darkness, something whispers.
Each whisper belongs to a tiny being—rooted, brave, adventurous, and driven by a single mission: to chase the light and find a way to the surface.

These are the Rise Warriors, a group of small life forms inspired by the shape and spirit of caudex plants. There are currently five Rise Warriors:
Rise 起
Wu 无
Shou 守 (unreleased)
Ning 宁 (scheduled to launch at Super Toy Fest 2026, Malaysia)
Xing 行 (unreleased)



Each Warrior bears a small leaf growing from the top of its head. The appearance of the leaf reflects their mana level. When their mana is full, the leaf glows brightly, symbolizing vitality and strength. As their mana depletes, the glow begins to flicker and gradually fades.

When their mana runs low, they must stop moving and stand still. Their legs slowly transform into roots, extending into the soil to absorb water and minerals. During this process, the Warriors become fragile and vulnerable.

And that is when danger appears. The first villain was introduced during last year's Rise Warriors Purple Halloween Pop-Up event.

The villain's story centers around a pair of fraternal twins who represent innocence and darkness. When a devastating fire engulfed their home, the elder brother wrapped his body around his younger sibling to protect him from the flames. The fire scorched his skin, turning it a deep crimson red, while the younger brother remained unharmed, with a single green leaf sprouting from his branch as a symbol of hope.



FROM THIS TRAGEDY, RAZE 滅 WAS BORN
The Rise Warriors story is still evolving. At the upcoming Super Toy Fest, Rise may finally encounter Raze for the very first time.

At its heart, Rise Warriors is a story about belief, friendship, resilience, and the many challenges and experiences that shape our lives.

TOYSREVIL: What is the story of Dick Chua? And how did you come into making and designing toys and collectibles?

The Story of Dick Chua
As mentioned earlier, Dick Chua is an advertisement film director. Before entering the world of filmmaking, he worked in the animation industry. During his time at an animation company, he discovered that filmmaking offered even greater possibilities for expressing his passion for storytelling. This realization led him to further his studies in filmmaking at Vancouver Film School.

After graduating, Dick returned to Malaysia and began his career as a film director. His debut short film, "Bloody Fish", was among the pioneering thriller short films of its time. His second short film, "Murdered", which won a BMW Shorties award, is still used today as educational material by lecturers and film students.

Beginning in the mid-2010s, Dick started working with major brands on festive advertising campaigns, many of which were heavily driven by storytelling. Over time, Dick Chua became known as the director who "makes people cry" — a phrase often used by agencies that worked closely with him. Some of his most memorable and widely shared festive campaigns include RHB's Love Carries On, PETRONAS's When The Heart Calls, and McDonald's The Wish.



However, life often changes when we least expect it.
Although Dick and his production house successfully weathered the pandemic, a new era of advertising soon emerged. Projects became fewer, and the industry grew increasingly quiet. After spending more than a decade building his career and reputation, it felt as though everything he had worked for might slowly fall apart. Yet responsibilities, perseverance, and belief kept him moving forward.
During this challenging period, caudex plants became his silent companions.

By observing these remarkable plants, Dick found inspiration in their resilience. During dormancy, a caudex plant can appear lifeless. Yet with patience and the right conditions, it eventually sprouts again and continues to thrive.

When one of his caudex plants finally sprouted after months of waiting, the moment reinforced a belief that would later become the foundation of Rise Warriors:
As long as you're standing, you're still in the fight. You may not be winning, but you're not losing either.
The lessons he learned from the caudex plants were first expressed through Chinese calligraphy, then transformed into tangible creations through Rise Warriors.



In many ways, Rise Warriors is simply a continuation of storytelling—told through a different medium, but carrying the same spirit and purpose.

TOYSREVIL: Will we be seeing their “enemies” made of sofubi too?

DICK CHUA: Yes. Sofubi is highly durable and resilient, and its nature echoes the core message of Rise Warriors: a spirit of resilience that refuses to break and continues to stand strong through adversity.

STAY CONNECTED FOR UPDATES: instagram.com/risewarrior5

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#RiseWarrior 再起戰士 X #DEVILROBOTS TOFU for #SuperToyFest (3-5 July, 2026)

Dick Chua interviewed on #TOYSREVIL: https://t.co/6saEfYIlGh

Seek updates via:https://t.co/YFrDMzLNq3#vinyltoy#toysblog#supertoyfest2026#groundzero pic.twitter.com/4IQ9ndEubj

— toysrevil (@toysrevil) June 26, 2026

I'd previously featured RISE WARRIOR Sofubi debuting at SuperToy Fest, and since then revealed are collaborations with DEVILROBOTS, as well a comic to introduce the Universe Rise Warriors, happening at GROUND ZERO...!

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